CHELSEA transfers are expected before the window slams shut next week and
Sportingfiesta is on hand to bring you all the latest news and gossip.
Costa gets Flamengo shirt
Chelsea striker Diego Costa appears to be enjoying his AWOL trip in Brazil.
He attended a match between Rio de Janeiro rivals Flamengo and Botafogo at
the Maracana.
And the 28-year-old was presented with a Flamengo shirt after a fan burst into
the room while he was watching the game.
Chelsea have told the forward to return to training but Costa says he will head
to Madrid if he returns to Europe, in the hope of securing a move to Atletico
Madrid.
Bakayoko on Conte
Tiemoue Bakayoko has revealed he joined Chelsea because he thinks Antonio
Conte can turn him into a better player.
Bakayoko joined Chelsea from Monaco after impressing in Ligue 1 and the
Champions League.
He made his debut against Tottenham and stood out in midfield and thinks
Conte can take him to the next level.
“I wanted to work with him and I am convinced that he will make me progress
and reach my goals, both personally and collectively,” he said.
“If we speak about a coach and not the club, the choice is logical. It will make
me progress on the tactical, technical and mental levels.
“I’m shouting at training every day, I have to be as precise as possible in
everything I do.
“I know why I signed and what the coach wants to do with me, I do not worry
about that. Only if I disconnect and do not work [hard] I will not play.”
Antonio Candreva update
Chelsea are unlikely to get their hands on Antonio Candreva before the transfer
window shuts, according to Italian journalist Niccolo Ceccarini.
Antonio Conte is keen on making more additions to his Chelsea squad before
next Thursday’s 11pm deadline.
Conte wants to provide competition for Victor Modes, and Candreva has been
earmarked as a target.
And Ceccarini has ruled out a last-minute successful swoop for Candreva by the
west London outfit.
“He wants to stay unless there is a very important offer, which has not arrived at
the moment,” he told Tutto Mercato Web Radio.
Vardy money
Jamie Vardy’s old club Fleetwood Town could profit if he moves to Chelsea,
reports claim.
Leicester striker Vardy has been linked with a switch to Chelsea, with Antonio
Conte eager to make more additions to his squad before the 11pm deadline of
the transfer window next Thursday.
A bid is supposedly in the pipeline for Vardy, who rejected a move to Arsenal
last summer.
But Fleetwood could be in the money if Vardy completes a move to Stamford
Bridge.
Fleetwood Today say Fleetwood would receive a significant fee, as the 30-year-
old has a 20 per cent sell-on clause in his contract.
Ox development
Arsenal could be forced to sell Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to a direct rival, with
the player reportedly set to reject their latest contract offer.
Oxlade-Chamberlain sat down with Gunners chiefs for a round of talks earlier
today, with the club desperate to resolve his future.
The 24-year-old is currently out of contract at the end of the season along with
team-mates Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez.
Chelsea are eager to land him before next week’s deadline (11pm) and the club
are considering raising their offer to £35million in order to land the England
international.
And according to the Daily Mail, a new contract offer by the Gunners worth
£180,000 a week has been proposed to Oxlade-Chamberlain, but he is set to
rebuff it.
The north London outfit would loathe to lose the winger on a free transfer next
summer, and the Mail add Liverpool are still in the hunt for his signature.
Given on Ox
Arsenal star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be tempted by a move to Chelsea,
according to Shay Given.
“It’s encouraging that he started both games this season,” he told Sky Sports.
“He might be thinking mentally ‘am I getting more game time so I can commit to
this long-term contract or am I getting more game time to be in the team’.
“It’s not an ideal situation for Arsenal and all these big game players. He should
have been for contact talks 18 months ago.
“I know Chelsea are interested and I think he will be tempted. If he moves he will
be going to the champions.
“If a manager signs you for a new club then you’re definitely going to play so
he’ll be thinking of all those things and sometimes he hasn’t gone enough game
time.”
Chelsea v speed guns
Eden Hazard and Tiemoue Bakayoko looked sharp in training this afternoon as
Chelsea continue their preparations to face Everton on Sunday.
Hazard and Bakayoko both had injuries to overcome at the start of the
campaign, with the latter making his debut in the 2-1 win over Spurs.
But the duo looked to be in good form as they were snapped taking part in
training drills under the watchful eye of manager Antonio Conte.
Chelsea’s stars were tasked with dribbling around cones as fast as possible with
high-tech speed guns positioned to allow coaches to analyse and scrutinise their
respective performances.
Drinkwater £32m compromise
Chelsea are preparing a £32million bid for Leicester star Danny Drinkwater.
Leicester are so far playing hardball and are demanding £40m for the 27-year-
old, and the lack of a buy-out clause helps their case.
While a prospective £32m offer would fall short of Leicester’s asking price, the
report suggests it would be represent a compromise on the Blues' part.
Chelsea's Houghton off on loan
Chelsea midfielder Jordan Houghton will head back to Doncaster on loan next
week.
“Houghton’s all done. It’s just been agreed now,” said Doncaster boss Darren
Ferguson at his pre-match press conference.
“It won’t be completed until Wednesday but it’s done. The paperwork’s all
completed, it’s gone to the Football League.
“We’re all absolutely delighted.
“He’ll probably join us around mid-September time.
“The last game he’s got pencilled in for Chelsea Under-23s is on September 18,
the Monday night.
“That’s the last one he would play for them and then he would come with us.
It’s the week of the cup match [with Arsenal] he’d be with us.”
Big spender
Premier League spending in the current transfer window is already at an all-time
record level, with a week remaining.
Figures released by Deloitte's Sports Business Group showed top-flight clubs had
spent £1.17billion on players this summer by 9am on Thursday, breaking the
record of £1.165m set last year.
That was already a 34 per cent rise on the previous record for a single window -
and with time remaining this time around the numbers could rise to even more
breathtaking levels.
Danny Drinkwater move
Chelsea are reportedly preparing a £32million bid for Leicester star Danny
Drinkwater.
After Nemanja Matic’s £40m move to Manchester United, this has cleared some
space at Chelsea, and while Tiemoue Bakayoko has already joined, Antonio
Conte wants to embark on a spending spree before next week’s deadline
(11pm).
Leicester are so far playing hardball and are demanding £40m for the 27-year-
old, and the lack of a buy-out clause helps their case.
Reports have suggested the Blues could seal deals for Drinkwater AND his Foxes
team-mate Jamie Vardy.
As far as Vardy goes, it is believed Conte harbours doubts over Michy Batshuayi
and wants more quality up front.
The report adds Leicester could cave in should they get a more suitable bid.
AC confident on Costa
12:30: AC Milan are confident of signing Diego Costa this summer because the
Chelsea striker needs to leave Stamford Bridge to earn a place at the 2018 World
Cup.
Costa has already snubbed interest from Milan in a bid to force a move to
Atletico Madrid.
But Atletico cannot field any new signings until January because of a FIFA-
imposed transfer ban.
And Corriere dello Sport claim Milan believe Atletico’s embargo puts them in the
hot seat to land Costa before deadline day.
The OX is going nowhere - Wenger
Liverpool and Chelsea have suffered a KO blow in their pursuit of Arsenal star
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Premier League champions Chelsea are believed to be the front-runners in the
battle for his services, and will reportedly submit a £35million offer later this
week.
But Arsene Wenger has reiterated his desire to keep Oxlade-Chamberlain at the
Emirates.
Asked whether Oxlade-Chamberlain has told him he wants to stay at the
Emirates, Wenger said: “I want him to stay and be one of the big players of the
future of this club.
“He is one of the players this team has to be built around in the future.
Personally I want him to commit to the club and to be one of the carrier of the
values of our team.
“I want to keep my best players. I only have one target: to keep everybody on
board. I think we invested a lot of time, confidence and money on players like
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who we bought at a young age.
“For me, they have a responsibility for the future of this club because Alex
Oxlade-Chamberlain will be one of the big English players in the coming years. I
personally am highly determined to keep him here at the club and I hope he will
commit.”

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